Bad Influence
by sevenpuddings
Summary: Three girls. Alcohol. Anger and resentment. Oh the joy. My take on what would have been an interesting night once upon a time in Summer Bay.


**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Everything belongs to the Seven Network.  
**Note: **What would happen if three girls were left alone with access to alcohol? My take when things were not always so easy between our girls.

* * *

_Bad Influence_

-

"You're what?" Matilda snapped from next to me, as Ric looked away sheepishly. Rolling my eyes at her, I slouched further into the couch and watched Luke shake his head.

"You can't just, leave me here… with her…" She whispered dramatically to Ric, and I bit back the laugh that threatened, instead, I chose the mature option. Pinching her, I ignored the foul look she threw at me, replying, "I'm right here."

If looks could kill.

"Ric," She began with the baby, whiny voice, "couldn't I come with you, and Luke stay here?" She pleaded.

"To a monster truck rally?" He replied, smiling a little as a look of disgust formed on her face.

"On second thoughts" She said calmly, sitting back down next to me, "A girly night sounds… nice." She managed to get out.

"Gee, way to be enthusiastic." I replied as I boredly inspected my nails.

"Belle," Luke said, and I looked up at him, a devilish glint in my eyes "Behave."

"Oh Honey," I replied mockingly, standing up and pulling his body towards my own, my hands clinging to his belt loops. "You know I will." I replied seductively, as Luke raised an eyebrow.

Smiling a little, he kissed me lightly, gently on the lips before pushing me back onto the lounge. Pouting a little, I blew him a kiss as he and Ric walked out the front door.

Rubbing my eyes, I avoided looking at her for as long as possible. Despite the fact we were dating best friends, Matilda and I still skated on thin ice.

Very thin ice.

She sighed next to me. That 'I'm pretending to be patient but really I'm counting the second until you say something stupid… again…' sigh that I'd come to know so very well.

I opened my mouth to mention something along the lines of champagne and facemasks, when someone rapped on the door.

"Hey Belle it's just …" Cassie said as she walked into the lounge room "me" She finished, standing awkwardly, biting her lip as she looked away from the glare that Mattie was sending her not to subtly.

Aren't awkward silences fun?

"Okay, I cannot be bothered with this." I said, throwing my hands up in the air and walking towards Tony and Beth's liquor cabinet.

"What are you doing?" Matilda asked me, and I rolled my eyes.

"Saving the world for a better tomorrow." I replied, pulling out the tequila bottle.

"And just how do you plan on accomplishing that?" Mattie snapped at me, and I could smell a 'curling up and dying' comment coming.

"By getting us drunk." I replied quickly halting the retort.

"Yes, I can really see that happening." Mattie said, folding her arms across her chest and raising an eyebrow at me. "Especially with her here." She snarled at Cassie, who shook her head at me.

"Did anybody say you've got a choice?" I replied, smirking as she looked at me, scandalised by my suggestion.

"And you've stunned her into silence." Cassie said, walking over to where I'd pulled out three glasses. "That definitely deserves a drink."

"And the cow thinks she's actually invite to stay at my house." Mattie muttered, and it suddenly became my turn to throw disgusted looks in her direction.

I opened my mouth to snap at her, but apparently Cassie could handle it on her own.

"Okay seriously, we've had months of this. Months, Matilda. Even Ric will not turn his head the other way. So sit down." She said, pulling out a chair. "And let's put this all out on the table, and deal with it, once and for all."

"You want this all out on the table?" Mattie snarled at Cassie, who sat steadfast, strong, unwilling to back down from her stance. "Fine," She snapped, standing up and walking to the table, picking up her drink and throwing it back in one shot. "Fine." She said, without even wincing as the alcohol hit her.

Sometimes, I had to admire her gutso.

-

"You cheated on him." She said quietly, later that night. "After everything you told me, you still when there. After he… hit you." She gulped, watching as the liquid swirled around in her glass. "You went back to him. You lied to Ric. You lied to me." She said softly… a broken girl, a broken friendship.

"You're kidding? All that drama and tension for that?" I said, beginning to laugh uncontrollably.

"She's right." Cassie said, slurring a little. "Aren't you dragging it out a little too much?" She asked Mattie, who shook her head, before throwing her head back laughing.

"Okay." She said finally, "Maybe… maybe, maybe, maybe you're right." She said, standing up and stumbling over to Cassie. "Maybe, maybe, we've dragged this out for tooooo long." She said, sitting herself down into Cassie's lap and wrapping her arms around Cassie's neck. "Its good to have you back best friend." She said, in a distinctively drunk voice. "Let's never fight again!"

"Amen sister" I cried out, and Mattie turned around momentarily as we clinked glasses together.

"You know Belle," Mattie said as she leant heavily on the table. "You're not such a bad sort after all." She concluded, nodding her head. "Yep, this idea of yours was pretty ace." She said happily, pouring herself another shot. "Alcohol is fun."

"That it is my friend." I said, clapping her on the arm and knocking back my shot. "That it is. And you know what Mattie?" I asked, as she took herself off Cassie's lap and fell back into her chair and nodded. "You're pretty ace when you loosen up a little."

"I am?" She asked gleefully. "Wow. I never thought I'd actually want to seek the approval of the town whores." She said aloud, before clapping her hands over her mouth in horror.

"And then, there's that." Cassie said, shaking her head, smiling. "Lord knows who I've missed that." She said, smiling fondly at Mattie, as her eyes began to get misty.

"Oh, I've missed it too." Mattie replied, and I groaned.

"Please. No waterworks. More alcohol. Drink of the gods."

"Why Belle, I think there's another one of those brilliant ideas." Mattie said brightly.

"Why thank you Matilda Hunter." I replied, smiling a little. "Hey, what do you think Luke and Ric would say if they could see us now?"

"My how ravishing you look Matilda Hunter, can I please take you to bed!" Mattie said, giggling.

"Ewwww" Cassie said, covering her ears as I made a face. "Way, way, way too much information there!"

"What?" Matilda asked. "I'm not ashamed of my sex life. In fact, its going very well…" She said, continuing to mumble as I quickly placed my hand over her mouth.

"Dude." Cassie said, "We know."

"Oh that's right." Mattie said thoughtfully. "You know, I always forget Ric is kind of like the town bicycle."

"That's so mean." Cassie said to Mattie playfully.

"But true." I threw in, causing ripples of laughter.

"Poor Ric. He never stood a chance with any of us." Mattie sighed. "I mean, how could you resist three such stunning, amazing, beautiful females?"

"I agree!" Cassie yelled, almost toppling out of her chair. "Hey, guys, is the room spinning for anyone else?" She said, as Mattie continued to laugh hysterically.

"Oh Cass, I think if the world is spinning, its time to pass out." I replied, pouring myself another drink.

"Okay, well, I'm going to your room Mattie." Cassie said, moving from side to side a little as she stood up.

Mattie nodded for a few minutes, until "Hey," She called after Cassie, who had long since disappeared. "What if I wanted my room for sex?" She continued to scream.

"Okay Mattie, she's gone." I said finally, and she turned to look at me, exasperated.

"Now that's not nice." She said, pouting, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What's not nice?" A voice said from the hallway, causing Mattie to squeal, and push herself up from the table and run into Ric. Luckily, he caught her before she hit the ground.

"Cassie stole our room." She mumbled into his chest. "Its not nice. I wanted sex." She said, as Luke groaned, and Ric blushed a little.

"She's drunk." He stated. And I nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "She hasn't been drunk since New Year last year." He continued, as my grin, if possible, widened. "And she got drunk by accident then."

"Yep." I sighed happily, as Luke pulled up the chair next to me.

"How did you do this?" He asked, as Mattie pulled on his shirt, mumbling incoherent, probably dirty words, under her breath.

"Saving the world for a better tomorrow." I said, as he finally gave in to her incessant tugging.

"Have a nice night." I yelled after him, snickering a little. "What?" I said innocently, as Luke looked at me.

"I asked you to behave." He said finally.

"And I so did." I replied, standing up and putting the now empty bottle and glasses into the sink. "Tonight I fixed a friendship, made friends with the ice queen of all bitches, and saved the world for a better tomorrow." I said, leaning against the sink and looking at Luke suggestively.

"And that's all in a couple of hours. Imagine what I could do given a whole day." I said, taking his hand and pulling him too me.

"Well aren't you just my little Super Woman." He said, as he nipped at my neck gently.

"Don't forget mischievous, devilish, and all around evil." I said, a smirk forming as he looked up at me.

"Well my little scarlet woman, how about we go and make our own trouble…" Luke said, taking my hand and leading me towards his room.

"Why Lucas Holden," I said mockingly "I do believe I've been a bad influence on you."


End file.
